


lessons on the consistency of souls

by Calla_Lilalma



Category: Bleach
Genre: Edo Period, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Plus some OCs and some minor canon characters that get names and personalities, Prostitution, Starting from pre-canon and getting there, Tag As I Go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-04-19 00:09:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14224854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calla_Lilalma/pseuds/Calla_Lilalma
Summary: In the grand scheme of things, Kyouraku Shunsui was a coward. He made himself blind to the signs and was too immersed in own longing, the need to rehabilitate from it as well as move on to even think about acting.And when the betrayal and the declaration of war come, all he can do is face the fact that all his efforts have been for absolutely nothing, along with the consequences of his inaction.





	1. lesson 1: curiosity makes the currents flow

**Author's Note:**

> If I acknowledge this writing spree i have this past week as 'productivity' I might get a heart attack and drop dead to set the cosmos back in line.
> 
> ...So hei and become a witness to my hopefully not once in a life time spree!
> 
> So this fic was supposed to be a porn with enough plot to set the mood, but then I realized two things. First I was 2k in and more future plot just kept unraveling in my mind and second and most important.... I am completely talentless and sucky at writing porn.
> 
> So plans changed. I adapted in my own way and that's the result. Nevertheless, special thanks (??) to fluffychanel that dragged me into this pairing's hell with their fics. I don't know you apart from a really embarrassing comment I left in 'the key to my heart' and this is not helping my case in appearing like a not socially inept person. My brain stops giving fucks after midnight (its 2am now btw).
> 
> Well, I hope you all enjoy it! Kudos & Comments are more than welcome! oh and please pass by the end notes.

Despite the large thud of something heavy landing on his desk, Shunsui refuses to acknowledge its existence altogether and stays with his head laid on his arms in an wasted effort to take a lovely nap.

“Kyouraku!”

With a groan, he raises his head and gives Sasakibe a lazy smile.

“Can I help you with something?”

“Stop lazing around and finish your paperwork.”

“I don’t have any.” He looks straight ahead, not even one glimpse on the new pile that just arrived.

Sasakibe tries his best to mimic Yama-jii’s sternness, but he can’t contain some of the amusement, becoming straight up mirth when he moves the pile right in front of Shunsui’s vision and seeing how his smile flatters.

“Those are for tomorrow. I suggest you get started.”

“You can’t do this to me!” he pleads. When the older is unmoved, he tries another approach, “How am I going to learn about a Shinigami’s duties by being stuck in an office all day? I haven’t even been on a patrol yet, much less the world of the living!” he argues.

“You’re being impatient.”

“I’ve been out of the academy for a year! With a shikai! And it was him who desperately wanted me in the first division.”

Sasakibe sighs tiredly but Shunsui leaves one last argument, “He personally trained me. And you of all people know best how tough it is. It’s a waste to let me rot inside four walls and signing other people’s mission reports.”

He tries to hide his victorious smile when the other says, “I’ll talk to him.” And turns to leave.

Before Shunsui can celebrate loudly and alone, Sasakibe peeks his head inside again.

“Those are still for tomorrow.”

Well, he guesses he can do those few…hundreds of reports this once.

**

Juushirou truly is his best person when it comes to a drinking companion; not only because he’s his friend, but due to his distaste for alcohol that has more to do with his extreme case of a sweet tooth than his health issues, Shunsui is sure to be returned home if he gets plastered to unconsciousness.

Now he’s smiling widely in excitement as Shunsui is getting the whole bar free drinks.

“And you’re sure he said yes?” he asks.

He rolls his eyes, “Come on, it’s about time he does. Both me and Sasakibe are pestering him now.” He’s truly grateful to the lieutenant for being understanding. That and the fact that he won’t have to erase Shunsui’s written messages of ‘this is boring’, ‘free me’ from the paperwork before he fully archives it.

“Then congratulations for your freedom.” He raises his free sweet tea and laughs.

“To the streets that await me.” He also cheers.

Juushirou snorts and rolls him eyes playfully, “Like you were that miserable.”

“Speaks the one that has the better job and who actually likes paperwork.”

“You’re overreacting.”

“Let’s swap then.” He challenges.

“I don’t think Kuchiki-taichou likes you anywhere near his wife.  Especially now in her current condition.”

“Like you’re some saint.” They share a laugh at that, “How are thing going?”

Juushirou shrugs nonchalantly, but from the lack on stiffness on his shoulders, Shunsui’s expecting a positive answer.

“It’s nice. Lady Kuchiki and I are helping each other at breathing exercises for her labour lessons or when I have a coughing fit.” He smiles when Shunsui part his lips to speak, “and before you ask, I am fine. It’s not the bloody and they pass quickly now. The patrols are nice too, getting some free air and all but they are not as often until she gives birth, despite her telling me that she’s fine.”

“Ginrei’s overacting in the first place. Lady Kuchiki can rule the soul society just fine even during labor.” He takes a sip from his sake and looks around at the happy to be bought free drinks crowd. Some raise their cup in thanks and he winks to a couple of lovely ladies at the counter.

His good mood however is ruined when he notices an all too familiar figure and he turns away.

Juushirou follows his stare and when it clicks to him he turns tired and a tad sad. Thankfully he knows better than to pity or try to comfort him.

The latter is still a growing process.

“Do you want us to leave?” he asks with a lower voice.

Shunsui raises an eyebrow, “Leave? Why?”

He earns a serious and deadpan stare and in turn gives a weak shrug as a response.

“I don’t care. He won’t come here and I sure as hell won’t go there. It’s better that we don’t talk at all. He seems happy that Yama-jii took me in the first and don’t have to live in the same house anymore.”

Juushirou is unconvinced whether it’s the best solution, not understanding a bad relationship between siblings as he never lived with it before, but lets the subject drop.

Just like the will of getting drunk drops from his mind, more from an uncharacteristic stubbornness to show his brother that he’s not a ‘complete disaster’.

Thus, he enjoys the company of his best friend and possibly the person he considers more like a family than his blood-related one and exchange small talk about each divisions antics.

**

In the end, he’s partially grateful that he doesn’t have to deal with a hangover the next morning.

On the other hand, he regrets drinking in the first place as Yama-jii’s tests are making him want to spit more blood than Juushirou spills in a really bad month.

He should have been expecting that this wasn’t going to be easy and he’s was just going to get the affirmative to roam around without proving himself.

His movements are slower when he raises his sealed zanpakutou to strike, but Yama-jii of course flash-steps away from his reach.

They’ve been at it for an irritating amount of time, knowing that Shunsui doesn’t have a chance against the captain commander of the Gotei 13. There is sweat dripping on his temples and his hair clings to his forehead and he’s more aware of his stubble.

Yamamoto, on the contrary is like he’s taking a walk on the division. He hasn’t even taken his zanpakutou with him.

He looks down at his panting student with narrow eyes. Sasakibe is somewhere on the edge of the training grounds of the division, clearly looking disappointed.

Yama-jii, Shunsui can take, disappointed fathers are bearable; but Sasakibe being disappointed is not. Both him and Juushirou have the same kind of weakness to the lieutenant and they cannot stand a look like that (although Juushiro never gets disappointed looks altogether). Now that he vouched for Shunsui makes everything feel worse.

“We’re done here.” Yamamoto says after beats of silence. He takes his zanpakutou from Sasakibe’s hands.

“What does that even mean?” he asks in between breaths. There is a slight churning feeling on his stomach, at the prospect that he fails and all he’ll do for the rest of his days is sign papers.

Yamamoto leaves him to boil in his dark thoughts, apparently enjoying it, before he gives a miniscule smirk his way, “You start tomorrow; Sasakibe will give you the details. And you better not be intoxicated again.”

The weight leaves Shunsui’s body and he doesn’t register that he gives an enthusiastic ‘yes, sir’ to the captain.

Sasakibe comes and tells him to take a shower and find him to his own office after, the obvious look of pride on his face foreign but welcome to him.

The whack on the back of his head that he receives is not.

**

After that, gone are the tedious weeks indoors as he starts making his rounds around the division, both day and night. He’s becoming more acquainted with the other officers of his own division and the others close by that come to his path and chats with them when nothing’s happening. Well, in general nothing has happened so far in the first division, which is saying a lot judging by the fact that its built close to the prisons and the central 46, but then again nothing ever happens there either.

It’s also close to the academy, which gives him the chance to show off to the younger Shinigami in training, especially the young senior ladies. The first could use some new and lively faces. Occasionally he gets caught and driven away by his old teachers mostly while yelling; it’s nostalgic and he wasn’t even out of the academy that long ago.  

It’s a surprise to find Juushirou in a walk with Lady Kuchiki besides him. The older woman is not showing, or if she does he doesn’t notice. They’re talking animatedly, laughing as he makes his way to them.

“I spot intruders in my division.” He pretends to unsheathe his sword.

Juushirou rolls his eyes and Lady Kuchiki gives him a slap on the arm.

“Look at you, being an actual Shinigami and going on rounds.”

“You understand the feeling of being out in the open after so long.”

“I get you.” She looks at Juushirou, “He’s just as bad of a worrywart as Ginrei, but you know that already. I had to use harsh means to make him accompany me.”

One look at his friend, he realizes that he might not want to know.

“I’d be on board in a second if it were me.” He throws in casually.

“I know! I got stuck with the boring one here.” She points at a frowning Juushirou. His friend’s face takes another expression, close to a pout but not an obvious one. The sneaky bastard.

“Stop doing that, I’ve known you long enough to know when you guilt trip people.” Lady Kuchiki tells him.  She turns to Shunsui, “Well, we best be going.” She leans closer and slips something on his pocket, “Yamamoto-taichou came by a couple of days ago. Bring me something nice, okay?”

Puzzled and curious but speechless as he tries to makes sense of the words, he lightly waves and watches them leave with encouraging smiles.

When he fishes the foreign item on his pocket, he finds a small pouch with what appears to be money; not Shinigami currency but one of the human ones.

The implication is enough to lift his spirits but nevertheless he acts surprised when Sasakibe calls him to his office with no paperwork at hand.

**

Contrary to patrols, Shunsui is careful to be completely sober and well rested before going to his missions on the world of the living, as there are always hollows to kill when he arrives. It’s easy to though, but he’s being careful. Yama-jii, Sasakibe and even Juushirou are satisfied with his work, the last one even taking him to drinks after his fourth successful mission, even drinking himself.

After the first one, the others come quickly and soon the only paperwork he does is one pages reports of those missions. Shunsui is amazed at the Captain Commanders quick change of mind, but he doesn’t question it. It just feels good to not being coped up in a desk all day.

He’s also taken in the habit of buying something for Lady Kuchiki every time he is on the human world, something small like an accessory. He just takes it from the vendor and leave a couple of coins on it as the humans cannot see him and buys himself a treat with the remaining money. The fan he got is still one of his better investments.

 

This time, the mission is a bit different as he’s been told. There is not an alert of a hollow that needs back up or anything, his assignment is to guard the area for a certain amount of time to familiarize himself with the human environment. It’s an area with high populace density and therefore a high risk area from hollows.

Long story short, it’s like patrols but with the chance of something actually happening.

There are many other Shinigami here as well, spread out to districts to cover more ground. The Shinigami assigned to teach him the ropes of the place, Yoshiwara of Edo as he learned it’s called, and introduced him to the other Shinigami near.

Then he’s left to his own devices to explore the place and stand guard. He’s free to roam around as long as he’s within the grounds of his assigned districts, which is not too much ground as he’s new to the job and alone at that.

From the first minutes the area proves to be like a paradise to him; it’s not hard to tell that it’s a red light district  inside tall walls and human guards monitoring everything much like Shinigami. It looks like a place on the more privileged areas of the Rukongai district in the soul society, separated from the world around them, just like the Seireitei, but a lot more crowded in both costumers and places. He takes an interest in watching the people come and go in the brothels or and drink themselves at the bars, a small stab of benevolent envy in his chest. Maybe he could afford sneaking some sake from some of the shops or even from the Sereitei once he gets a little more familiar with the place.

**

A hollow eventually comes ruining his peace on his third night on Yoshiwara, disturbing his peace.

It’s not a menos grande but a smaller stray one with four jaws and too many long limbs and fast reflexes that get on Shunsui’s nerves right away. Him and another two soul reapers are surrounding the hollow to control its place of movement and direct it in a less crowded place.

It’d normally work, but this hollow seems to have a mission to get to a certain pray, which is odd by itself. Normally small fry hollows go for equally small fry prey that’s easy nutrition. For that not to happen, it must mean there is a prey that it’s more than worth it.

Fortunately Shunsui and the others direct the hollow away from the center of the commotion and towards somewhere more abandoned. They give the hollow no way out and that when they all strike simultaneously at his limbs with Shunsui giving the final blow at the mask and killing it.

They all bare minor injuries, his own a dislocated shoulder and a gash at his forearm but he waves it of as the blood showing more than it actually is. His seniors are wary but leave him to their posts eventually.

While walking to the borders of his territory, he winces at the cold air on his wound and his blood dripping down. He jumps back from roof to roof to the way they came from and gets down to the ground only when he finds an alley to tend to his wound. He’s not paying any attention to the noise he makes and takes a deep breath before locating his shoulder back in place with a loud curse. Once he checks to see that it’s in the right position, he uses his poor excuse of  healing kaido to at least  stop the excessive bleeding or speed the healing process in the slightest. But he never bothered to pay attention to kaido and medical classes more than enough to pass them and then forget them and now it comes full circle and bites him in the ass.

“Out of all the establishments here and you chose an alley.”

Shunsui should not have jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice from behind him, but he was too focused to not do so. The little light of the kaido is gone at the loss of concentration and he turns to the source of the voice, ready to report the situation and ask for some help.

However his words as stuck in his throat when the voice gains a face.

A very lovely face, he has to admit first. He’s normally a ladies-man but he never found hesitation in complementing another man’s looks (he does that with Juushirou in a daily basis effortlessly) and he certainly won’t now upon seeing long chocolate brown hair cascading on one shoulder down to his waist and away from his face with fancy pins and dark brown eyes  that eye him with mirth and the painted lips smirking. Looking down, he notices the layers of fabrics in the yukata that he wears the blues meddle nicely with the greens and the reds with all the night lights of the streets.

Clearly not the attire a soul reaper wears but a _human’s_ in this place and time.

Gathering his thoughts together the placates his face in a more casual expression, “Are you referring to me?”  and looks behind him in case there is someone else. There is not one soul.

An elegant eyebrow raises at the question, “I don’t see anyone else I could be talking to.” The same smooth voice tells him.

_You shouldn’t be able to see anyone in the first place._

Well, this a conundrum he never expected to happen.

The other doesn’t roll his eyes at his caught look, but he can tell he really wants too, “It seems highly inconvenient and frankly as well as insulting to choose the dirty streets out of all the brothels here ready to attend your every need.”

A weight is lifted off his shoulder at the other doesn’t appear to have seen him practicing the spell and the true implications bubble a laugh out of him. “I suppose you’re right but I’m tight on the money at the moment. Isn’t it you that should not be here?”

“I heard noises and I had enough time to spare to come look into it.”

Getting closer with a couple of steps, gracefully avoiding stepping on filth, brown eyes zero on his arm in realization but not surprise at seeing all the blood.

“I’m sorry for my assuming wrong sir.” His eyes leave Shunsui’s face to look at the injury again, “This looks quite painful.”

The wrong _sir_ addressed to him by someone that appears to be the same age or at most a couple years older than how he would pass as a human reminds him of how the beautiful waitresses and ladies at the bars of soul society address him due to their jobs, out of politeness and sometime mixed with naturally flirty personalities or if they are aware of his noble family, but he finds that less pleasant.

Nevertheless, it bring the same heat of excitement as those numerous times back then. This time though, it’s stronger due to how physically incapable he is from touching, especially when the man’s job is designed for satisfying desires like that.

The more rules they are, it more peaks a young and unwise Shunsui’s interest.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” He waves it off once more, “It’s just from a small bar fight, that’s all.”

The other hums knowingly but still unconvinced, “Bar fights can result in even killing someone in here, sir. I’m no stranger to them.”

“Fighting to get a person’s attention must be common to you.” He retorts with a chuckle.

The prostitute joins with his own, running elegant fingers gently though the last strands on his hair, “So much so it has become boring, to be honest.”

“Quite confident of you.”

“Then you must be new in this area to not have heard my name.”

Shunsui shrugs, “You can say that. I don’t see any difference.” He knows he should have found some excuse to bolt out, but his feet are planted to the earth and his mind is only coming up with words with purpose to engage in further conversation.

“It’s the area of brothels that have male prostitutes in them. There are more spread out in Yoshiwara of course, but this is the ‘untold capital’ as they say. It’s not as popular as the women’s brothels but if you frequent here, things reach your ears.”

“Just like your name?”

The smile that pulls the painted lips is tempting to say the least, sinful to come close to the truth.

“Of course.”

“Care to share it then?”

A shrug so feathery that it can be confused as breathing, “It’s more fun to learn from others. If you’re dedicated enough, you’ll come again and find out, sir.”

With a curt bow, he turns on his heel and leaves in a quick step; with no indication on helping Shunsui out.

Which is probably for the best. If he tried to physically touch him, the efforts would literally go through him and his true nature would be revealed.

When he’s completely sure that he’s not being watched and is a safe enough distance, he flash steps back to the high roofs where no one is going to see, searches for another Shinigami to fix him up. She does clumsily so and pushes him to the senkaimon back to the soul society to get himself fixed in the fourth.

It’s Unohana Retsu in all her glory that finds him first, wobbling and dripping on her pristine floors, and properly heals his arm enough to be almost good as new. She glares at him when he compliments her in a disguised command to shuts up, but he doesn’t. Juushirou and both Lady and Lord Kuchiki have told him in exasperated tones how low his sense of preservation is to not be afraid of the fourth division’s captain and are possibly expecting his demise to be by her hands.

He’s told to stay out of the field for a day or two for the healing process to finish by his own body and light bandages it. He takes it as a chance to make his report before he starts procrastination hit him and get him in trouble. And before the disappointment of not being in Yoshiwara and not seeing the new acquaintance he made  there sooner sip into his skin any further.

**

The next day, a hell butterfly comes to his office carrying an rambling and worried message from Juushirou.

 _‘Shunsui! I heard you got injured! Are you okay? Do you need any help? I can find someone to take my place for couple of hou-’_ his friend yelps and his voice distances and is replaced with Lady Kuchiki’s voice.

_‘how’s your first battle scar, kid? I’m sending you your friend here, who’s been pacing holes around the room in worry for hours. I’m bringing a little something as a celebratory gift and a thanks for all the presents’_

Soon enough, Juushirou himself barges into the small office holding a bottle of sake in hand but unsuccessfully trying to hide it.

“Hey handsome.” He waves his injured hand lazily.

The bottle hits the desk roughly and so do his friends palms.

“Why are you working and not resting?”

“Relax, it’s just a cut on the arm, I’ll be fine tomorrow and back in action. And I wasn’t working, are you out of your mind?”

Juushirou’s forehead still has wrinkles of worry in it, but his shoulder lose the intensity they had. Shunsui can’t help but laugh.

“Stop it! I was worried about you!”

“I got that.” He takes the bottle and fishes out two small cups he always has hidden just in case, “Want some?” he sniffs the sake, “She got the sweet kind you like too.”

Juushirou is visibly exhausted but he accepts the cup anyway and downs it in one go.

“Have a little faith in me, will ya’?”

“I’m just-”

“Yes yes, I know.” He pats the other’s extended hand, “I’ll probably do the same when your turn comes.”

“I doubt that.”

“Hey, hey. No pessimism here. I’m sure once the little Kuchiki heir is born then both Yama-jii and Ginrei with jump at the chance to have you on the field.” He knows first-hand about Juushirou’s insecurities connected to his health problems; about how useful he’s going to be to the soul society and such. Shunsui doesn’t understand the feeling, but what he knows is that Juushirou’s is one of the best minds the academy and the seireitei have ever seen and it would be utter madness if he doesn’t become captain at some point within the century maximum. Then the soul society would waste one of the most compassionate, strong hard working and fitting to lead souls. He really can go on about how amazing Juushirou is that many would mistake his affection as more than deeply platonic.

He earns a smile from his long-time friend, “Thank you Shunsui.”

Well, if it were their academy days, maybe their words would hold much truth to them. Maybe the smile would send his blood and heart pumping fast.

But not now.

Now, he’s the most content drinking with him on the first division’s office, both visibly and unashamedly avoiding work.

And maybe Sasakibe starts to scold them when he sees them, but it ends up with him telling one of his stories when he was assigned to the western world, passionately describing everything with fondness and the two young friends listening attentively and commenting with snark and laughter or and disbelief on the most absurd parts like a couple of children when told bedtime stories.

**

In his report, Shunsui doesn’t write about the beautiful and human male prostitute that could fully see, hear and interact with him like he’s just another one of his kind.

In his mind, he justifies it as not having enough information, not even a name. He blames it on wanting to be analytical and careful of the situation lest it’s a false alarm and endanger human lives for nothing. On how tight is the rope he’s walking on.

The last part is true, because even if he doesn’t know about cases like this, how severely they are treated and or punished or hidden deep in the archives as lethal and whispered secrets, he is fully aware that hiding information from the soul society will get him in deep trouble.


	2. lesson 2: luck unlocks all unpaved paths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hei again everyone! Back with a new chapter after over half a year!
> 
> (I read my author's notes from the first chapter and i laughed myself so hard. Like damn past me.)  
> I'm doing better right now and trying for the best for the future, just in time for the new year.  
> This account is like a fun journal where my growth can be witnessed - both in writing and personal alike.
> 
> Enjoy the new chapter! Kudos and comments are always welcome!

The very next day, Shunsui returns to the world of the living, injury completely healed and attitude as flowy as before. Despite his efforts to buy time and stay in the Seiretei, Unohana has absolutely no tolerance for his antics and all but kicks him to the senkaimon back to work.

His superiors either congratulate him for taking care of the hollow or reprimand him for his recklessness and that he didn’t rely on his fellow Shinigami, muttering under their breaths about insolent youth, or just him in particular. At least he feels right home with all the scolding old men breathing down his neck at every step. What a joy.

They attempt to remove him from that area for now, but he manages to twist the words and use the exact same event they use as an excuse to keep him away as the reason to do the opposite. Shunsui puts all the charm he can muster to the right people and, thankfully, it works.

Staying at the same area of Yoshiwara means staying looking further about the snarky prostitute that left him with an everlasting impression, filled with an increasing list of questions.

He always appreciates entertaining sarcasm in a pretty face and, according to his own humbles opinion, it’s one of the most attractive attributes in someone, second only to independence.

Maybe it’s why he had the biggest crush on Juushirou back at the academy; despite his kindness and easy-going attitude, his friend could be quite vicious without changing the inflation of his voice a bit. The first time Shunsui had witnessed it, directed at him of course, he had been so floored he’d tripped on his own feet, the cool ground helping out with his flustered face.

However, the peculiarity of the current situation takes away the joy and leaves him with a series of conundrums.

He’s being faced with the fact that a human, a living one with a physical body has seen him clearly and interacted with him like Shunsui is another one of them. That, by itself is an alarm. Human are a new territory for him to experience but from the theoretical basics he has held on from his classes, they are supposed to be unaware of their existence or at the very least unaware of the certainty and evidence of them, as well as everything regarding hollows.

Shunsui has come up front with an anomaly and he has no clue what to do. He’s probably screwed up already, by not reporting it immediately when he could. And surely by not reporting it should he be asked in the future. Hopefully he won’t get his head chopped off for withholding information from the soul society.

If he doesn’t get killed at the job first. On one hand he can’t believe he’d been looking forwards to this mess, but the other part whose veins are pumping with adrenaline and the urge to move is ecstatic that he’s not on a desk job any more.

According to his colleagues, the number of hollows appearing has been slowly increasing for quite some time even before his arrival, but now it has reached dangerous numbers. Shunsui becomes very much aware of it by the fifth day, when he is knee deep in hollow blood and guts, hair clinging wetly to his forehead and panting out of exhaustion. He’s lost count of how many hollows he’s killed and bragging about it back in the Soul Society has long left his mind. He’s even had to use his shikai’s double blades, very reluctantly so, to fend them off.

Fortunately, they haven’t lost anyone, yet. It’s been a close call too many times but the worst has been avoided, whether from luck or skill, it doesn’t matter.

Due to that emergency, patrols have changed and more senior and experienced Shinigami have been called to assist. When Shunsui is finally passing the senkaimon he’s dead on his feet and about to pass out. But he miraculously manages to successfully crawl back to his quarters in the first division and fall asleep in his sticky and bloody clothes.

Yama-jii thankfully has gotten an idea of whatever happens there and waits until Shunsui can think straight to ask for a report.

“The dense population of humans in that area is increasing on par with the hollows. Spirits too. Many die every day and become spirits that need conso.” Sasakibe concludes, thumb and forefinger stroking his chin, “There are easy prey for low level hollows, which in turn is prey for the stronger ones on the chain. A couple have even become hollows themselves. The Shinigami were too late to perform the conso.”

“We will increase the number of Shinigami in those areas, for now.” Yama-jii, no captain commander Yamamoto, orders. “We’ll take stricter measures if the situation deteriorates.”

He’s finally free to loudly sigh when he’s out of the door, the seriousness of all this adding to his exhaustion and desperation for some company and alcohol.

In the front gardens of the main Kuchiki manor, he’s met with the head of the clan exiting. He can’t help but smirk and greet him without honorifics.

“As unmannered as always.” Ginrei sighs tiredly.

“As stiff as always, taichou.” Shunsui quips, mood already elevating, “Your lady and Juushirou in?” he points to the main house.

Ginrei’s grey eyes sharpen to glare at him, but it doesn’t have any effect. It has stopped having for a while.

“Don’t get any funny ideas, Kyouraku.” Shunsui has already walked away towards the inside.

“Wouldn’t imagine taking your job.” He lazily waves.

He finds Juushirou and Lady Kuchiki in the living room, playing cards with gleeful concertation.

Lady Kuckiki subtly notices him and hides her smile as he sneaks behind his best friend.

“I know you’re here Shunsui.” The other doesn’t look up, “Felt your spiritual pressure approaching.”

“Damn you.” He moves to kiss Lady Kuchiki on the cheek and sits down next to his friend.

“Also heard you outside pissing off Ginrei.” She smirks at him while revealing their cards and her winning the match. They start a new one with him in.

The light banter and the comfortable atmosphere in the air is healing to his faint headache. It also helps that he wins all the next matches, much to the displeasure of his companions. They try a different game but the result remains the same. Lady Kuchiki throws her cards at his face and Juushirou sighs in disappointment, used to it by now. Shunsui can’t help but chuckle at the both of them.

“So…” the lady changes the subject once her bitterness is subdued, “I heard things have gotten tough in the worlds of the living.”

Some of the tension returns to stiffen his shoulders and groans, “Don’t remind me. It’s a mess out there.”

“You wanted action, you got it, kid.”

He groans once more, lays his head on the table and closes his eyes in a fake effort to sleep.

Juushirou’s fingers run through his hair, messing up the already messed up curly locks and Shunsui leans towards hid friend a tiny bit, opening one eye to look at him.

It’s funny how used he’s gotten to accepting instances like this from Juushirou, how the initial hyper tension when they first met has melted to something else. Just when nothing but the two of them matters, when Juushirou has the comforting and ever entrusting expression on his face; small, gentle smile that hold no judgement and promises to listen to his troubles, let him ramble or whatever he needs.

It’s unabashedly better than cups and bottles of sake, in Shunsui’s biased opinion. Juushirou’s presence alone near him always makes him feels at ease. It’s like time and life itself take a break for him to collect himself and dump his own self-pity and doubt until he gets it back together. At one point of time, it was accompanied by Shunsui’s keen awareness of his feelings and was always some form of flippant resistance to for once avoid doing something reckless and ruining possibly the best thing that has happened in his life.

Right now, his fingers feel soothing lightly massaging his scalp and playing with his hair. The troublesome thoughts and general tension in him are toyed with and slowly untangled in order to make more sense.

A clearing of a throat takes them out of the moment and he turns his still laid head to the Kuchiki matriarch, smiling sheepishly. From the corner of his eye, Juushirou has taken a charming blush upon his sickly pale skin. It might turn worrisome in a moment’s notice so he has his mind on it.

“As cute as you two are, I don’t want your ass moping and being miserable inside my house. You’re exposing my child to your bad vibes.” She nudges his shoulder once, twice and pointedly looks at the door with a guiding gaze.

“If you want to talk work, I’m not listening today. I have an appointment with Unohana in the afternoon and I need to be as stress free as possible.”

“A challenge, having married Ginrei of all people.” He earns a slap on the back of the head and a half scaldalised, half exasperated call of his name from Juushirou.

In the end, he gets up with an over dramatic groan, slumping shoulders and dragging steps.

“I was rejected by the closest person to a parental figure, I deserve to drown my sorrows in the nearest bar. Let’s go handsome.” He wraps his arm around his best friend.

Outside of the manor, he drops the arm and the act alike, squaring his posture and staring at up the bright blue sky and listening to the nature’s callings, subconsciously following Juushirou’s lead. By the scenery, they are not going to the Rukongai to get drunk, much like he’s in need of.

They enter the modest restaurant and sit in the back, away from any hanging ears and eyes. Juushirou coughs a little, which puts him in alert, but it proves to be intentional and unrelated to his illness.

“You look finer than usual today, Juu-chan.” He comments with his head resting on his chin.

Juushirou chuckles but doesn’t take his eyes off the menu.

Shunsui looks around the homely place, taking in the sounds of his surroundings. It’s been a while since he ate here. Or maybe he was so used to seeing his friend every day that it seems like longer. It’s been so chaotic lately that he’s afraid he’s going to be an old and senile man with no perception of time sooner than his time.

A waitress comes to take their orders, absentmindedly taking the same as his friend.

“You’ve been acting strange today.” Juushirou starts when they’re alone again.

He hums in response.

“Sighing like you’re going to be hanged tomorrow and not even tried to flirt with the girl. She actually seemed interested.”

“You know I only have eyes for you.” He winks but the other’s seriously concerned expression.

“Are things alright?”

Shunsui might shrug, but there is no reassurance in the gesture.

“Just tired from all the work I really regret right now.”

“You certainly don’t seem regretful.”

Shunsui sighs, “Maybe partially regretful of the swarms of hollows that have been rained down.”

“It’s been only a few weeks, you’ll get used to it.” Juushirou chuckles fondly. Shunsui joins him with a less enthusiastic one of his own.

A long pause settles in, “Whatever has your mind in such a frenzy, overthinking is not your strong suit to solve it.”

“True, true, you do enough for the both of us.”

“That too. I can’t have you distorting our excellent dynamic.”

They both share a pleasantly heartier laugh at that.

The serious conversation pauses when the food arrives and while they are eating, but he doesn’t feel like there are any more words needed.

**

Despite Juushirou’s sweet words, Shunsui’s mind decides for once to start chewing itself.

The only sounds that can be heard are the occasional footsteps and voices of the Shinigami patrolling around and the ever-present nature. The rest of the noise is in his mind, bouncing around.

Overthinking really is not for him.

Lying around still won’t be of any help, that’s the surest conclusion he’s had these days. He gets up and loosely ties his uniform, silently navigating the almost empty dorms and halls of the first. It’s not the first time that he’s sneaking out and the steps have been memorized to heart by now.

The layout of the first differs from the rest of the districts, being the leader’s division and all that. It’s a group of tall buildings that contain the dorms, the offices and the prisons, all to be more efficient and tightly secured.  Has heard from veterans that the prisoners especially can get pretty rowdy and there is always a need for Shinigami to subdue them. He’s never been needed on call, so no world ending events for now.

Their being so tightly close to each other makes getting out is catching the confusing and grey territory of the familiar and the new as it’s similar to the academy’s student dorms. They are significantly harder to navigate but they become easy game after his first couple of months of his transfer.

Although this doesn’t feel like sneaking out. He’s not heading to any bars or pleasure districts in the Rukongai and for that there is not the excitement of disregarding the rules for his own whims.

This feels more like an anticlimactic and temporary escape in order to take some fresh air and try to clear the fog.

Outside, the fresh and chilly air is a relief. Both the artificial lights and the moonlight spare him from the complete darkness and navigate him to his self-acclaimed ‘place’, up high on one of the northern office towers, the one further away from the dorms and the total cluster of the first division’s architecture.

It has a nice view of the beautiful night sky and the forest near the second division, where they have their training, without being seen back. The first times it was hard to get there, finding it while drunk and disorientated and lost to his dorms, but he got the hang of it soon enough, in any state he might be.

Although, a cup or more of sake would be great to accompany the serene atmosphere, if his mood was a little perkier than now.

 _‘So eager for an escape from your own self.’_ A voice echoes from deep within him,

His tiredness forces him to put effort to keep the loud and telling groan from escaping. Never the less, his zanpakuto spirit knows and enjoys his misery.

“Fancy hearing from you,” he communicates, “thought you got bored and moved out.”

 _‘Bored with you around? Never.’_ She appears next to him and takes a seat in seiza form, so close that they almost touch.  She almost feels real and he doesn’t move to find out whether it’s true or not.

“I’ve been hearing nothing from you the other day. Maybe you were mad I didn’t use shikai?”

_‘You’re not the only one in need of some release. Using the sword without it’s power, such an unappreciative master.’_

“So temperamental my dear.” He looks at her with this most charming smile. “I apologize, but you know how it is.”

He’s met with sharp silence.

Looking up to the bright moon, he starts humming a nonsensical tune while she’s ignoring him. The silence between them doesn’t matter, it never does. Katen Kyoukotsu knows what he’s thinking and feeling at all times. She wouldn’t be a proper manifestation of his sword and soul otherwise.

 _‘Curious, isn’t it?’_ she asks after a bit, not taking her own eyes from the view up above.

Shunsui doesn’t need to ask as she continues her musings either way, _‘how you stumble and fall in … odd situations all the time. It’s both comedic and tragic.’_

“Just my luck, apparently.” He chuckles and she shares her own as a response.

 _‘And luck doesn’t abandon even if you evade her.’_ Katen Kyoukotsu’s dark red lips lifting ever so slightly. _‘On the contrary it’s an opportunity to diverge from known and mundane paths.’_

Shunsui hums, “Of course, not one for advice.” He yawns and doesn’t bother to be polite about it. “Always pushing me towards your amusement.”

 _‘Amusement of mine is yours and amusement of yours is mine.’_ Her smile widens and sharpens, _‘So do entertain us both, Sakuranosuke. A boring life can wait until death.’_ And she disappears in thin air.

Shunsui can still feel her, that’s a given at all times, but right now it’s like she’s sitting in the last row of seats in a performance; waiting for the unraveling of the play.

And well, Shunsui is a gentleman after all and can’t leave a lady waiting for him.

**

The hollow activity continues being outrageous but the hordes slowly ease out after a while.

Now that his time is freer and with less worries, Shunsui finally starts looking around for anything that might lead him back to a peaceful sleep and a lax attitude.

It doesn’t take too long to realize the pattern and solution have been right under his nose.

Overthinking is seriously not his thing.

In a change of the patrol teams, he’s with a couple of Shinigami from another part of the area, much further away. At the appearance of the now normal hollow for three nights in a row, they seem surprised.

“There weren’t any hollows in our area. Not that often.” One of them says.

“I saw a hollow only once before now.” a second concurs.

They are in the same city of Edo, but the hollow sightings aren’t the same everywhere. According to them, the areas are just a crowdedly populated but something makes this place more important to hollows than anywhere else.

All he has to do is find that reason. And he has a clue of where to start.

Slipping under the vision of the others is easy enough but he puts some extra caution in this particular case as he doesn’t want any other Shinigami possibly finding out. And while unsure of the exact law and consequent punishment, it would surely be more severe than demotion to a desk job and that is enough for him.

He had honestly been hoping he had another purpose of revisiting the brothel, but somehow he knew that it’d come to this. It’s easy to slip out from his duties without being noticed and the familiar by now roads lead him to the building.

Staying the shadows of the same alley that everything started, inside the dark, his back slides down the wall until he’s sitting in the ground and just listens and observes.

The place appears to be one of the popular ones. The workers’ charms never fail in pleasing their costumers as they are always being send off with satisfied expressions on their faces as well as promises to come back.

None of the faces he sneaks a glimpse of aren’t the one he’s been looking for. All this boring wait is making him all the more tired.

“Is Sousuke-kun available?”  One of the many voices, a costumer’s most likely, demands.

Shunsui hums and memorizes the name, listing it with all the others. The place’s appearance exudes a fancier place that only rich clientele frequents, so the names aren’t as many as one of the lesser brothels that try to make up with ‘quantity’.

He doesn’t get to hear the answer as the sighting and roar of a hollow prompt him to move. It’s medium sized and coming straight towards where he is with vigor and hunger.

Shunsui snaps out of any potential fatigue and cuts it’s hunt and many of its multiple, slimy limbs.

It still crawls with such primal conviction that it’s impressive in a way. Even with Shunsui walking in moderate pace close to it, it doesn’t attack him like it would happen in normal circumstances. Such a one-track mind is rare even in the more instinctual of hollows. His suspicions are very much verified when it makes an effort to crawl the wall, uncaring of his presence or anything else.

Finally getting the information he needed, Shunsui cuts its head in a clean and stainless cut.

After the hollow disintegrates, he sighs again, whether from exhaustion or relief he doesn’t know.

Well, that was kind of anticlimactic, it’s his first thought. At least he feels the tension slipping away from his shoulders, only now realizing how much tenser he actually was.

Katen Kyoukotsu seems to share the sentiment as he hears her humming in disappointed disinterest.

“Such a demanding woman.” He hums at her.

_‘I hope the next part picks up the excitement.’_

“Not allowing intermissions?”

 _‘I just watched the intermission.’_ She clicks her tongue in a rare uncharacteristic display.

Shunsui can’t help but chuckle; ah, he was really tense before.

Before he fully decides to call it quits, there is another sensation near him. He had felt it before, he didn’t remember, which was a plain careless on his part. He’d resolved all of this mess without talking so much effort.

“Is that alley really so interesting?”

Tilting his head upwards to the source of the voice, he can’t help but give a sheepish grin.

“What can I say?” he shrugs, “When you don’t know any names around here, you get what you can.”

A light laughter and the smell of smoke caress his senses, just like the pretty visual above.

The man’s posture is in a relaxed arch, brown hair illuminated from the lights to various shades of brown, mussed and falling like a wild cascade on one side, covering a part of his face. There is a light green patterned kimono loosely around his shoulders, even though it does nothing to cover the pale bare skin of his shoulders and naked torso underneath.  In a teasing fashion, the reflected pale skin expands downwards, out of Shunsui’s vision.

“Then learn them,” his eyes narrow in amusement, “you samurai expect everyone to abide your whims, even when you have no wars left to fight in.”

Shunsui’s confusion lasts for a second or two before he remembers the cover up story he’s used. It is pretty fitting to his image and unless he’s busted or falls in a major plot hole, he’s not the one to correct others’ assumptions of him.

A voice, gruffer and agitated sounds from a little further away, “Sousuke-kun? Are you done with your smoke?”

Shunsui laughs wholeheartedly, even more so when the now named prostitute, rolls his eyes and throws a subtle side eye to the inside of the room.

“You’ve been lucky this once, samurai.” He puts out the pipe and pulls the kimono closer to his person.

“Fortune seems to favor the bold, _Sousuke-kun_.” He’s unashamed of his mischievous grin.

“Fortune may favor the bold, but it favors the stupid and incapable of surviving also, _sir_.”

 _Suddenly showing the thorns_ , he muses. He doesn’t know if he likes it or not yet. But if he’s going to stick around, he’s going to have to get used to it and out in time.

The client from inside the brothel sound even more impatient the second time, demanding attention like a spoiled child.

“It’s not good business to keep him waiting.”

“Try not to get yourself killed.” The other responds with a sickly-sweetly polite tone.

Shunsui has spent too much time here already, with any more delay and it will raise unwanted questions.

“I’ll be seeing you, _Sousuke-kun_.” Shunsui laughs and he walks back into the darkness, out of sight.

Flash stepping back to where his post was, he gives a lazy smile and wave to his fellow Shinigami.

“Where the hell were you?” one of the veterans here asks with a patronizing frown. All of those older Shinigami need to take it easy once in a while, don’t they? From most of his family, to Yama-jii and Sasakibe, to Ginrei, the one or two generations before him must have grown up with no entertainment around them whatsoever.

“Saw a hollow and it gave me a bit of a hard time, you know? But I’m safe and sound, thanks for asking.” He grins. The bits of dried blood staining his uniform are visible enough to shut down any argument.

He can hear the partly fond and partly exasperated sigh of Katen Kyoukotsu from the back of his mind.

The older Shinigami, on the other hand, is not amused with Shunsui’s attitude but there is no much he can do as his excuse is solidly believable. He’s out of the hook this time.

“Your attitude is threading you to deep waters, boy. Be mindful of your actions and words.”

It always comes down to this; an advice said as an order, but ultimately lifesaving.

Such a pity that Shunsui disregards it every time. And from the playful aura he feels coming from his zanpakutou spirit, the tradition will keep on going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PS. i'm bringing back the mature rating, it feels the rightest for me.  
> PSS. i made a tumblr account: callalilalma is my username (callalilalma.tumblr.com) . For as long as it last with the whole Tumblr shit that's being going on, i'm always up for a nice chat (just don't be a dick)!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it!  
> So, my research on Yoshiwara was without getting too deep and then nitpicky and then depressed and pissed, so i'm using some of the basic stuff i read as stepping stones. It's not going to be accurate and i'm just getting it out of the way to be square with you.
> 
> Also just roll with the Shinigami ages and how they grow up. I honestly tried to make sense and estimate but just no. I tried to put equivalents between shinigami and human years but it didn't work.
> 
> Lastly, sorry for any mistakes I might have made!


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